Madmenah
Madmenah is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Shufat. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Madmenah appears in a single but dramatically vivid passage of Scripture. In Isaiah 10:31, the prophet describes the advance of the Assyrian army toward Jerusalem, tracing its terrifying march through a series of towns north of the holy city: "Madmenah is in flight; the inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety." This verse belongs to Isaiah's prophetic depiction of Sennacherib's campaign against Judah around 701 BC, painting the panic that seized village after village as the invading force drew near. Madmenah's inclusion in this itinerary places it along the northern approach to Jerusalem, likely between Anathoth and Nob. The passage powerfully conveys the human cost of invasion, with entire populations abandoning their homes in terror. Yet Isaiah's larger purpose is to demonstrate that even the mighty Assyrian empire serves as an instrument in God's hand, and that the Lord would ultimately halt the aggressor's advance before Jerusalem itself fell. Madmenah's flight thus becomes part of a narrative that ends not in despair but in divine deliverance.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Madmenah has been tentatively identified with the modern neighborhood of Shufat, located approximately four kilometers north of Jerusalem's Old City. This identification rests primarily on the site's geographic fit within the Assyrian march route described in Isaiah 10. The area sits along the ancient road approaching Jerusalem from the north, consistent with the prophetic itinerary. Shufat is today a densely populated Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem, making systematic archaeological investigation difficult. No inscriptions or artifacts specifically confirming the identification have been discovered. The surrounding area has yielded Iron Age remains consistent with small Judean settlements of the biblical period, supporting the general plausibility of the location.
Verse Appearances (1)
Isa
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →